Go-go Gadget reboot! It’s been announced that Disney is working on a new live-action movie based on the beloved Inspector Gadget animated franchise, which is currently moving forward under the simplified title Gadget.Â
The Hollywood Reporter revealed the news this evening, telling us that Saturday Night Live writers Mikey Dave and Streeter Seidell are penning the script, which makes two Disney reboots they’re currently working on, as the pair are also writing the new Home Alone film coming to Disney Plus. Aladdin producers Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich are likewise attached and the project is yet to snag a director, though the hunt is on.
You’re most likely already familiar with the premise, but just in case you’re not, Inspector Gadget (initially voiced by Get Smart‘s Don Adams) is a clumsy cyborg detective recognizable for his hat and trench coat who has an endless array of goofy gadgets inside his body, which he can activate by calling “Go-go gadget [insert gadget here]!”
The original series began airing in 1983 and has been followed by many successors since. In 1999, Matthew Broderick starred in Gadget’s first live-action outing, which also featured Rupert Everett as his nemesis Dr. Claw and Michelle Trachtenberg as his loyal niece Penny. Classic characters Brain the dog and the wisecracking Gadgetmobile also had roles.
The film’s not traditionally been popular with fans though due to its shift in tone from the cartoon. For instance, it gives the hero a Robocop-like origin, with his body being upgraded after he’s gravely injured. Nevertheless, a straight-to-video sequel followed in 2003, with French Stewart replacing Broderick.
Given Davey and Seidell’s involvement in Home Alone, we’re left to wonder whether this reboot is destined for Disney Plus as well. After all, an Inspector Gadget remake does sound like the exact sort of family-friendly content with a recognizable brand behind it that Disney’s looking to fill their streaming service with, but for now, we’ll just have to wait and see.
